Swimming with gentle giants… #InternationalWhaleSharkDay

The season has arrived and you can finally have the chance to swim with a whale shark!
But… Do you really know the largest ‘shark’ in the sea?

Don’t be fooled!
It may look like a whale, but it’s not. Neither a member of the marine mammal family.
The whale shark it is actually the largest fish or shark in the sea and its name comes from the fact that his species can grow to lenghts of 40 ft approx, just as some whale species.

Meat or krill?
Unlike sharks, whale sharks are filter feeders. This means that they need to swim with their mouth open towards plankton, shrimp, krill, algae and other similar small lifeforms.

Gentle giants.
People call them ‘gentle giants’ because in some cases they are said to be friendly and even playful with divers. They’re not considered a threat for human sor marine mammals, but please be careful when you’re swimming around them and do not make a lot of physical contact with them.

If you’re going on a whale shark tour, don’t forget to follow your guide’s instructions and remember not to hassle these majestic creatures. It is stressful enough for them having boats swimming around while they’re trying to feed and relax in their natural habitat.